Modern data storage systems often employ complex processes for the purpose of increasing efficiency, lowering costs, increasing durability and/or otherwise operating beneficially. While such complexity can provide many advantages, such complexities can also cause various hazards. For example, data operations (such as reads, writes and deletes) inherently take at least some time to perform and update any records of the operations. During this time, conflicting data operations may be requested. Incorrect or inadequate processing of conflicting data requests can prove disastrous, perhaps resulting in unintended deletion of data and/or continued storage of data that was intended to be deleted. To maintain the integrity of a data storage system, therefore, great care should be taken to prevent the unintended loss of data, both due to system malfunctions and user error. Such care, however, can come at the expense of cost, efficiency and simplicity.